Students and landlords are being reminded to ensure their homes are secure during the coronavirus pandemic, which may not see students return to study until September.

Following the lockdown announcement in March, thousands of students who attend the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University have returned home in order to spend lockdown with their families, which have left several homes empty.

Although the number of burglaries have dropped, Inspector Riz Khan, neighbourhood inspector for Dunkirk and Lenton, where a lot of students reside, is reminding students to ensure their homes are secure.

He said: “Several students returned home following the lockdown announcement leaving a lot of homes empty. I’d also like to remind landlords to check on their premises and ensure their homes are secure.

“In the last two weeks we have only had four burglaries with one being a student-related property but I would urge people to remain vigilant where properties are unoccupied for any length of time.

Insp Khan added: “On the whole burglary is down – as most crime has been during the coronavirus pandemic – so there isn’t a real cause for concern at the moment but we can’t be complacent. We are also actively patrolling the area in line with government guidance so we trust that it will serve as a deterrent.

“I am just keen to ensure that people are taking steps to protect their homes and their belongings to prevent such occurrences happening.”